Roger Ebert

December 7, 2012 11:48 AM

Photo: KEVIN FRAYER/AP

Image 1of/20

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 20

FILE - In this photo taken Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011, Pulitzer Prize-winning movie critic Roger Ebert works in his office at the WTTW-TV studios in Chicago. The Sundance Institute announced Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012 that Ebert will be the recipient of the Vanguard Leadership Award in recognition of his advocacy of independent film. The award will be presented at the third annual "Celebrate Sundance Institute" benefit on June 5, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File) less

FILE - In this photo taken Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011, Pulitzer Prize-winning movie critic Roger Ebert works in his office at the WTTW-TV studios in Chicago. The Sundance Institute announced Thursday, Sept. 20, ... more

Film critic Roger Ebert gives a thumbs-up sign as he arrives at the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California, in this March 4, 2006 file photo. Ebert announced July 21, 2008 that he and Richard Roeper are departing the movie review show that bears their names, leaving the future of the influential program unclear. REUTERS/Fred Prouser/Files (UNITED STATES) less

Film critic Roger Ebert gives a thumbs-up sign as he arrives at the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California, in this March 4, 2006 file photo. Ebert announced July 21, 2008 that he and Richard ... more

Photo: FRED PROUSER, REUTERS

Film critic Roger Ebert gives a thumbs-up sign as he arrives at the... Photo-3858331.53552 - Times Union

Image 3 of 20

Film critics Roger Roeper, left, and Roger Ebert pose in the balcony set for their syndicated show, "Ebert & Roeper and the Movies." The co-hosts will name their favorite movies for 2000 in the segment airing the weekend of Dec. 30-31 and identify the worst films of the year on the weekend of Jan. 6-7. less

Film critics Roger Roeper, left, and Roger Ebert pose in the balcony set for their syndicated show, "Ebert & Roeper and the Movies." The co-hosts will name their favorite movies for 2000 in the segment airing ... more

Marlene Iglitzen, wife of former Chicago Tribune film critic Gene Siskel, greets Roger Ebert before a tribute to Ebert outside the historic Chicago Theatre Monday, July 18, 2005, in Chicago. Ebert teamed with Siskel in 1975 on the TV show "Sneak Previews," which evolved into the long-running "Siskel & Ebert and the Movies." Ebert, 63, became the film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times in 1966 and a decade later became the first film critic to receive a Pulitzer for arts criticism. less

Marlene Iglitzen, wife of former Chicago Tribune film critic Gene Siskel, greets Roger Ebert before a tribute to Ebert outside the historic Chicago Theatre Monday, July 18, 2005, in Chicago. Ebert teamed with ... more

In this March 5, 2010 file photo, Roger Ebert arrives at the Independent Spirit Awards in Los Angeles. The Pulitzer Prize-winning critic, who lost his ability to speak and eat after cancer surgeries, said Friday, Sept. 10, 2010, that he will appear in a special segment on the television movie review show "Roger Ebert Presents At the Movies" he is producing with his wife, Chaz Ebert.The weekly, half-hour review program will debut in January and be syndicated nationally on public television stations. less

In this March 5, 2010 file photo, Roger Ebert arrives at the Independent Spirit Awards in Los Angeles. The Pulitzer Prize-winning critic, who lost his ability to speak and eat after cancer surgeries, said ... more

Photo: Matt Sayles, AP

In this March 5, 2010 file photo, Roger Ebert arrives at the... Photo-3858333.53552 - Times Union

Image 6 of 20

Film critics Roger Ebert, right, and Richard Roeper pose for photographers following a ceremony in which Ebert was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Thursday, June 23, 2005, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. Ebert received the 2,288th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. less

Film critics Roger Ebert, right, and Richard Roeper pose for photographers following a ceremony in which Ebert was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Thursday, June 23, 2005, in the Hollywood ... more

Film critic Roger Ebert is seen in this July 18, 2005, file photo in Chicago. Ebert, who is battling cancer in a Chicago hospital, said in a statement issued Thursday Aug. 17, 2006, he looks forward to coming back to work despite a hard road to recovery. less

Film critic Roger Ebert is seen in this July 18, 2005, file photo in Chicago. Ebert, who is battling cancer in a Chicago hospital, said in a statement issued Thursday Aug. 17, 2006, he looks forward to coming ... more

Photo: CHARLES REX ARBOGAST, AP

Film critic Roger Ebert is seen in this July 18, 2005, file photo... Photo-3858338.53552 - Times Union

Image 8 of 20

Film critic Roger Ebert gives thumbs up as he arrives for the 2004 IFP Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., in a Saturday, Feb. 28, 2004 file photo. Roger Ebert has turned thumbs down on thumbs on "At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper." Ebert, who is negotiating a new contract with the syndicated show's distributor, Disney-ABC Domestic Television, is a copyright holder on the show's signature "thumbs up-thumbs down" judgment that's part of each film review. less

Film critic Roger Ebert gives thumbs up as he arrives for the 2004 IFP Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., in a Saturday, Feb. 28, 2004 file photo. Roger Ebert has turned thumbs down on thumbs on ... more

Photo: CHRIS PIZZELLO, AP

Film critic Roger Ebert gives thumbs up as he arrives for the 2004... Photo-3858330.53552 - Times Union

Image 9 of 20

Film critic Roger Ebert speaks about the movie "Chinatown" during his Shot by Shot film workshop at the 15th Annual Virginia Film Festival, in this, Oct. 26, 2002 file photo, at the Regal Theatre in Charlottesville, Va. Ebert is recuperating from followup surgery to his treatment for papillary cancer, one of the most common and curable types of thyroid cancer. The 60-year-old movie reviewer for the Chicago Sun-Times and on television underwent the procedure Thursday, Feb. 6, 2003 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, in Chicago. less

Film critic Roger Ebert speaks about the movie "Chinatown" during his Shot by Shot film workshop at the 15th Annual Virginia Film Festival, in this, Oct. 26, 2002 file photo, at the Regal Theatre in ... more

Photo: ANDREW SHURTLEFF, AP

Film critic Roger Ebert speaks about the movie... Photo-3858334.53552 - Times Union

Image 10 of 20

Movie critic Roger Ebert gives the thumbs up as he arrives on the red carpet for the premiere of the film "Training Day" at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Canada, in this Sept. 7, 2001. Ebert will undergo surgery to remove a cancerous growth on his thyroid gland. The operation for Ebert, a Chicago Sun-Times movie reviewer, is scheduled for Friday, the paper reported Thursday, Feb. 21, 2002. less

Movie critic Roger Ebert gives the thumbs up as he arrives on the red carpet for the premiere of the film "Training Day" at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Canada, in this Sept. 7, 2001. ... more

Photo: KEVIN FRAYER, AP

Movie critic Roger Ebert gives the thumbs up as he arrives on the... Photo-3858339.53552 - Times Union

Image 11 of 20

Film critic Roger Ebert speaks at the 15th Annual Virginia Film Festival, in this Oct. 26, 2002 file photo, in Charlottesville, Va. Ebert, the Pulitzer Prize winning film critic, will undergo radiation treatment for cancer next month. The treatment will be for a cancerous tumor in Ebert's salivary gland, the Chicago Sun-Times reported, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2003. less

Film critic Roger Ebert speaks at the 15th Annual Virginia Film Festival, in this Oct. 26, 2002 file photo, in Charlottesville, Va. Ebert, the Pulitzer Prize winning film critic, will undergo radiation ... more

** FILE ** Film critic Roger Ebert is seen in this 1994 file photo. Ebert, in town for his annual Overlooked Film Festival, slipped on a newly waxed floor and suffered two hairline fractures in his left shoulder Saturday, April 27, 2002, in the student union at the University of Illinois. less

** FILE ** Film critic Roger Ebert is seen in this 1994 file photo. Ebert, in town for his annual Overlooked Film Festival, slipped on a newly waxed floor and suffered two hairline fractures in his left ... more

Photo: AP

** FILE ** Film critic Roger Ebert is seen in this 1994 file photo.... Photo-3858329.53552 - Times Union

Image 13 of 20

Long ago, before Oprah's incredible success, she and film critic Roger Ebert went out - on two dates.

Long ago, before Oprah's incredible success, she and film critic Roger Ebert went out - on two dates.

Photo: AP

Long ago, before Oprah's incredible success, she and film... Photo-1211484.53552 - Times Union

Image 14 of 20

Film critics Roger Ebert (right) and the late Gene Siskel in a promotional photo for one of their TV shows taken in 1996.

Film critics Roger Ebert (right) and the late Gene Siskel in a promotional photo for one of their TV shows taken in 1996.

Photo: / CBS

Film critics Roger Ebert (right) and the late Gene Siskel in a... Photo-476221.53552 - Times Union

Image 15 of 20

SANTA MONICA, CA - MARCH 07: Film critic Roger Ebert speaks at the signing for his new book "Great Movies II" at Barnes & Noble Booksellers on March 7, 2006 in Santa Monica, California.

SANTA MONICA, CA - MARCH 07: Film critic Roger Ebert speaks at the signing for his new book "Great Movies II" at Barnes & Noble Booksellers on March 7, 2006 in Santa Monica, California.

** FILE ** An April 25, 2007 file photo shows Pulitzer Prize-winning Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert giving a thumbs up while making his first public appearance since undergoing cancer-related surgery at his annual Overlooked Film Festival in Champaign, Ill. Ebert on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008 confirmed that a fellow critic yelled at him and whacked him on the knee with a program during a movie screening at the Toronto Film Festival last weekend, but said the incident was "blown out of proportion." (AP Photo/Seth Perlman, File) less

** FILE ** An April 25, 2007 file photo shows Pulitzer Prize-winning Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert giving a thumbs up while making his first public appearance since undergoing cancer-related surgery ... more

In this undated photo released by Disney-ABC Domestic Television, movie critics Roger Ebert, right, and Gene Siskel are shown. Starting Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007, a new web site touted as the largest collection of video-based movie reviews online will begin. The site will feature clips from the show that made the thumb famous and include 5,000 movie reviews, spanning more than 20 years of the show hosted by newspaper film critics Roger Ebert and the late Gene Siskel and columnist Richard Roeper. less

In this undated photo released by Disney-ABC Domestic Television, movie critics Roger Ebert, right, and Gene Siskel are shown. Starting Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007, a new web site touted as the largest collection of ... more

Photo: Disney Via AP

In this undated photo released by Disney-ABC Domestic Television,... Photo-2329346.53552 - Times Union